16 Dec Celebrating a quarter century of adoring old automobiles
George, Garden Route – December 2021 – Protea Hotel King George by Marriott hosted a delightful breakfast affair on Friday 3 December, the occasion marking the launch of the George Old Car Show driven by Benzeum (GOCS) 2022, scheduled for February 12 and 13 next year.
The pandemic necessitated the postponement of this year’s event – a most unwelcome Covd-19 consequence that disappointed many an old car enthusiast from every corner of the country. But now the organising team says it’s all systems go for a whopper of a 25th anniversary show, with just two months ‘till D Day.
George Old Car Show chairperson Alewijn Dippenaar welcomed members of the media and sponsors; municipal, tourism and Rotary representatives; and Southern Cape Old Car Club (SCOCC) associates before giving the lowdown on next year’s event.
As part of the drive to curb infections, additional areas close to the Carpe Diem School show hub will be availed to ensure ample parking. The craft/flea market will also now be located some distance away from food and beverage outlets, to ensure that show-goers can traverse the entire terrain while observing Covid protocols.
The show has become a veritable institution of the Southern Cape capital, and Dippenaar said that, as usual, there was already huge interest from all over South Africa to participate in GOCS 2022.
George Tourism chief Joan Shaw said research on the previous event revealed that it generated about R17 million in revenue – a major shot in the arm for the local economy. Municipal councillor Dirk Wessels concurred that the show was indeed a flagship event, promoting tourism and putting George on the map as “destination of choice”.
Dippenaar was philosophical about the year that was, and what lies ahead: “When a vine suffers, it acquires character. We all suffer Covid fatigue but as Old Car Club members, we collectively decided to take a stance on living and managing our lives, albeit with a degree of uncertainty.”
He said the GOCS 2022 theme will simply be ‘25th Anniversary’, paying tribute to this special milestone. And if a fourth wave of infections precludes the attendance of spectators, organisers will reconvene to decide on a new show date in April.
As guests tucked into scrumptious fare from the Protea King George breakfast buffet, Dippenaar waxed lyrical about his reasons for loving old cars: simplicity and style, the absence of manifold knobs and levers, the way one can discuss the wings on a Cadillac for a good half an hour…
All of these and much more can be explored at the next George Old Car Show driven by Benzeum. Visit www.scocc.co.za for additional information.